Internet fuelling silver surfer writers

'Ooh Ethel, I've been published on the Facebook'

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A new survey conducted by the charity Booktrust has revealed that many of those 60 and over see the internet as important in their lives, and are eager to publish their own writing online.

Of the 1,162 people surveyed for the over 60s reading and writing project Bookbite, some 31 per cent of respondents are silver scribblers, publishing their own writing online, and are also joining books groups and researching family history.

This fits in with data accumulated by publishing professionals showing that they're receiving more manuscripts from those in their late 50s.

More time?

According to Mark Johnson, Digital Producer for HarperCollins Authonomy website: "Perhaps this is because age and experience can offer a clear advantage to anyone hoping to write engagingly or perhaps older people now have more time, and are more confident, to share their passions online."

Notably, there's no mention of the quality of the writing.

These over 60s are quite comfortable online, with 55 per cent saying they saw the Internet as vital to their lives, while 93 per cent found the Internet a "positive development."

However, almost half of them (43 per cent) had no interest in using Twitter or Facebook.

Only 19 per cent used social networking sites on a daily basis. Those will be the drunken photos of your granny.